Brienz, Switzerland

ABOVE: A hotel near the Brienz lake-steamer pier.

The 1911 edition
of Baedeker's Switzerland describes Brienz in these words:

The village of Brienz (2600 inhab.), adjoined
on the E. by Tracht, stretches for 1-1/2 M. along the bank of the Lake of Brienz, backed
by green pastures dotted with fruit-trees, above which rises the Brienzer Grat,
whence descend he falls of the Trachtenbach and the Mühlbach. Brienz is
the centre of the Oberland wood-carving, which here employs about 600 persons, and of
which specimens may be bought at Ed. Binder & Co's and Gebrüder Huggler's. The Wood
Carving School deserves a visit. On a hill about 1/4 M. further to the W. is the Church,
with a carved altar of 1517, commanding a view of the Sustenhörner in the background.

So what's changed in the last 100+ years? Not much.
Huggler Woodcarvings is still in business, visitors continue to enjoy hikes and
lake excursions, and the steam-powered cogwheel railway ferries tourists to the Rothorn's
summit as it has done since 1892.

The Brienzersee, or Lake Brienz, is one of the
town's main attractions. The crystal-clear lake measures 8-3/4 long and 1/5 miles wide (15
x 2.4 km), with a maximum depth of 860 feet (262m). It's surrounded by forested mountains
on all sides, giving it a wild and brooding quality that contrasts sharply with the
well-tended atmosphere of Brienz and the other towns along its shore.

And Brienz does feel domesticated--as it should, having
been inhabited for the better part of a thousand years. The local church dates back to the
12th Century, and some of the town's houses and hotels were built in 1600s. Even the
modern chalets look as if they might have been built a century or two ago, with their
traditional overhanging roofs and heavy wooden balconies. Brienz is a classic Bernese
Oberland resort--and if that means the atmosphere is a bit touristy, so what? Tourism has
been a part of this region's culture since the British and Germans began coming here in
the middle of the 19th Century.

Things to see and do

Brienzer-Rothorn. The
Brienz Rothorn Railway steam train
operates from the end of May through late October. The fare isn't cheap, but you
can save money by riding one-way and hiking back down. (If you're adventurous
and well-heeled, you can sign up for a "Footplate Trip" or a Fireman's Course.)

Swiss Open-Air Museum. The
Freilichtmuseum Ballenberg has some 80 typical houses and farm buildings from all over
Switzerland scattered across its alpine pastures. Traditional crafts are demonstrated by
costumed workers during the season, which runs from mid-April through October. Admission
is 12 francs for adults, half-price for children.

Giessbach Falls. You can drive to the
Giessbach Falls,
or--better yet--take a boat from Brienz. A funicular (opened in 1879) hauls you up the
rocky hillside in four minutes, or you can hike 20 minutes to see the seven waterfalls
that total 980 feet (278m) in height.

How to reach Brienz

Brienz is on the railway line between Lucerne and Interlaken.
For schedules, see the Swiss Federal Railways
journey planner.

If you're coming from Interlaken during the
June-September boat season, we recommend taking a
BLS lake
steamer on Lake Brienz. Boats sail frequently from Interlaken Ost throughout
the day, and the journey lasts about 1 hour 15 minutes.